


Day by Day

by victoria_p (musesfool)



Series: Dog Days of Summer [20]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: dogdaysofsummer, Established Relationship, First War with Voldemort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-20
Updated: 2005-08-20
Packaged: 2018-03-20 06:24:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3640125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musesfool/pseuds/victoria_p
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every day is measured out in hours, in increments, the shifts he spends on the front lines of this secret war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day by Day

_Let's lay our bad day down here, dear, and make-believe we're strong. Or hum some protest song, like maybe "We Shall Overcome Someday," overcome the stupid things we say. Say I needed more than this, say I needed one more kiss._ the Weakerthans, Confessions of a Futon Revolutionist

*

Remus looks a little wild-eyed when Sirius gets home, and there is a pile of ashes in the kitchen sink where Remus is setting the mail on fire. His smile is tight and false when he looks up and says, "Just another set of rejections. I'm sure I'll find something tomorrow."

And Sirius nods and forces himself to smile in return, but all he says is, "Yeah," because he can't force himself to lie, and neither of them needs or wants to hear another profanity-laced rant about how badly the Ministry treats werewolves. Sirius is secretly glad that Remus is distracted and doesn't ask about his day, because his day was bad in so many ways he's not allowed to talk about, from the Dark Mark over the Lesters' house at dawn--the whole family dead except the baby someone stowed in the closet--to the late afternoon trip to St. Mungo's to see Billy McHenry, who'd had his face blown off in a raid on the McNairs.

Sirius comes home each day and thanks a God he doesn't believe in that today it wasn't James or Lily or Harry or Remus who got killed, that they've made it through another twelve hours, and _please, God, let's make it through twelve more_. Every day is measured out in hours, in increments, the shifts he spends on the front lines of this secret war.

"It's too hot to cook," Remus says. His pale skin is sheened with sweat and his hair is lank with humidity. Sirius remembers him tanned and wet, kisses salty with the sea and sweet with candy floss and all the mischief summer brings. Those days are gone for now, and they are both winter-pale even in the middle of August, too many responsibilities keeping them from their usual summer fun. Now when Sirius skives off, it could mean someone else's death, and even he is not so blasé about these things anymore.

But he can still enjoy a stolen moment in the comfort of his own home, with Remus by his side.

"Come on," he says, kicking off his shoes and shimmying out of his robes. He takes Remus by the hand, palm to palm, long fingers automatically entwining, the same old perfect fit as always, and drags him into the bathroom.

Transfiguration has always been Sirius's best subject, and with a wave of his wand, their grotty old bathtub has doubled in size and is filling with warm, bubbly water pouring from the spigot. Another quick spell has Remus out of his clothes, his face a study in surprised pleasure as Sirius climbs into the tub and pulls him in after.

"Come on," he says again, stretching out in the soothing water. Remus fits against him perfectly here, too, head coming to rest in the hollow of his neck, hands splaying across his chest, lips pressing laughing, open-mouthed kisses against his bubble-damp skin. Remus lights up when he laughs, and Sirius misses seeing him lit this way, eyes sparkling, skin flushed, earlier disappointments forgotten as the water eases away the tension in their bodies.

Sirius kisses him, content just to lie there for the moment and rest, because it is too hot to cook and they are too young to die, and Sirius is too much in love to believe it when Peter tells him Moody thinks Remus is the spy.

*


End file.
